Wednesday, April 7, 2004

County Supes, School Board Endorse State Senate Budget
Witt: The Senate Budget Would Deliver Over $4 Million Net In New Funds To Schools, The House Of Delegates’ Proposal $387,973

A School Board request seeking $14.5 million in local appropriations in its $53.37 million budget sparked a supervisors' resolution Monday night supporting the state Senate's $61 billion budget plan.

The School Board followed suit, endorsing the Senate budget proposal which Witt said would produce net new funds of over $4 million for county schools.
The House version would produce a net increase of $387,973, according to school reports.

Supervisor William Fitzgerald first sought support for the Senate budget, citing the return to the county.

"I believe we need to do it tonight and get it to Del. Hogan," said Supervisor Tom West, noting Hogan would be returning to the legislature Tuesday.
Supervisors, in a 5-3 vote, approved the resolution. Supervisors Doug Bowman, Lottie Nunn and Ronnie Vaughan opposed.

"I think some tax increase is necessary but I think the Senate's is too high," said Bowman. "The problem is not on the revenue side but on the spending side."

A single School Board member, Joe Bailey, voted against his Board's endorsement of the resolution.

"I feel it is too much of an increase in taxes and we have enough money to run government," said Bailey following the vote.

Supervisors will adopt a school budget this month for public hearing May 3. Final adoption is expected May 17.

In his overview of the school budget, Witt told supervisors that in the absence of a state budget school officials used the low figure in the House of Delegates' proposed budget to compile the school budget.

He said the proposed school budget reflected a $2.6 million or 22 percent increase over last year's funding.

He described salaries as the lion's share of that budget.

The school budget proposes "average" salary increases for the following: 3 percent for administrative; 5 percent for principals; 5 percent for teachers; 7 percent for classified workers; 10 custodial and cafeteria workers.

"We want to remain competitive in the market for teachers and principals," he said.

The superintendent said the classified employees were very underpaid compared to surrounding regions. Classified positions include teacher aides and mechanics.

Six new positions, three reading specialists and three classroom teachers, are recommended.

Roof maintenance of $822,549 is proposed in the budget. Seven schools were listed as roofing projects: Clays Mill Elementary , Cluster Springs Elementary, Halifax County Career Center, Halifax Middle School and Halifax, Meadville and Wilson Memorial elementary schools.

Witt estimated a $500,000 budget line item in the future for roof maintenance.
Instructional costs were listed as $22,000 for supplies and student travel and $65,000 for band uniforms.

Witt listed $578,647 for buses. The purchase of 10 new buses and payment on lease purchase of 10 buses during the 2001-02 school year were reviewed.
He said it was anticipated the system would maintain the current level of health care benefits.

Witt told supervisors there was a $1.7 million balance at the end of the year in its capital improvement fund from the lottery and state construction funds.
He said Middle School bathrooms, the tennis courts and track had been funded through that fund and two roof projects.

"These funds have to be used for capital improvements," added Witt.

The superintendent told supervisors that school trustees will return within the next two Board sessions with a Phase II Capital Improvements program.
"We need to move forward. We need to address it in some fashion," said the superintendent.


IDA Is ‘On Budget’ For Riverstone Project
Board Members Review 2004-2005 Budget

The Riverstone Technology Park project is "on budget" Industrial Development Authority Board members affirmed Monday.

If propane lines are installed instead of natural gas lines and fill dirt expenses can be held to $100,000, the Board agreed Riverstone was within budget.

"We would not have to go to the county or use reserves," said Scott Morris, IDA director.

That action followed a three-hour line-by-line 2004-2005 budget review by Board members.

However, Board members instructed Morris to continue to investigate a natural gas line option.

The executive director is currently talking with natural gas providers and the State Corporation Commission about securing gas service, which is the Board's first option if economically feasible.

"Hold the gas company's feet to the fire," said Board member Jack Dunavant.

Figures proposed for the gas line have been estimated at $196,000, with an estimated $40,000 in usage reimbursements over time, Morris explained.

With propane service, the Riverstone project was described as within budget.
Board member John Cannon suggested that gas lines could be added later, providing a backup option some companies seek.

Morris was asked to contact Building II's confirmed tenant, the Virginia Employment Commission call center, to see if propane would be acceptable.

"If the customer is okay with propane, we're okay," said IDA Chairman Carlyle Ramsey.

To address the fill dirt problem at the Riverside Technology Park site, Board member Jack Dunavant advised seeking "the cost on screening" the root matt from the soil.

"The roots in the soil make it unusable," said Dunavant. "The dirt is okay."

Since the project is short on usable fill dirt Board members are pursuing several options to address the shortage, including screening, drying dirt over time and adjusting project requirements.

Board member Billy Royster sought culpability for the expensive problem, suggesting the responsible party "fix it."

Following the budget review, the Board also asked Morris to revise figures on several Riverstone operations with costs to coincide with projected building completion dates.

Morris was asked to prorate costs such as heat, according to anticipated occupancy dates.

Board member John Cannon emphasized that incorporated within the 2004-2005 budget is the operational expense for Riverstone I and Riverstone II buildings to be constructed.

"We are taking on the added responsibility of actually being the owner of two buildings and the cost associated with owning them.

"This elevates our budget since those expenses have never been in the budget before," Cannon added. "Of course we receive the income."

Budget

Yesterday, Morris said the percentage increase in budget expense is 7.49 percent while budgeted income increased 43 percent.

"That excludes our request from the county," he added.

"We do have more expenses, but we have substantially more income," said the executive director.

Earlier this month, a three-man committee, which included Gene Faucette, Billy Royster and Larry McPeters, was asked to review the budget and propose cuts.

The committee proposed $24,550 in overall cuts in the 2004-2005 budget, dropping expenses from a proposed $630,591 to $607,841 and IDA Board members agreed.

Submitting its proposed 2004-2005 budget to the county yesterday, the IDA sought $428,691, which is $108,691 increase over last year's budget, according to Morris.

"Last year we asked the county for $320,000, but we funded $140,000 from our reserves," said the executive director.

Total income projected in the amended IDA budget Monday was $607,841, including county funding.

The IDA also receives income from leases, rent, interest and repayments from companies located here through IDA aid.

Riverstone Technology Park

Riverstone's Building I is 67,000 square feet. J.E. Burton Construction is the contractor on a fee-based proposal at the site located off of Highway 58 west of South Boston.

Building I construction is expected to begin within 45 days, with a completion date in February 2005, according to Morris.

Building II is 15,000-square feet and the Virginia Employment Commission is the tenant. A plan and speculation qualified low bid process is under way.

Construction will probably begin in May with completion in December of 2004, Morris said.

Possibility Of Magnet School In County Takes Step Forward
The School Board May Give $250,000 To HEF To Create A Magnet School

The possibility of creating a magnet school in Halifax County to serve the county's high school students has taken a big step forward.

Members of the Halifax County School Board indicated Monday night they would be willing to give the Halifax Education Foundation $250,000 to leverage a $1.5 million grant the Foundation is seeking from the Tobacco Commission to create a magnet school at the Southern Virginia Higher Education Center facility in South Boston.

The School Board's willingness to provide the $250,000 in local matching money needed to leverage the grant is predicated on the School Board being able to have a long-term lease/purchase agreement for the space with the HEF.

Money the Halifax County School Board plans to give to the HEF will come from the School Board's Capital Improvement Fund.

The school system's fiscal year 2004 projections show the Capital Improvement Fund having an ending balance of $1.74 million.

Halifax County School Superintendent Dennis Witt told the School Board even with necessary expenses that will come out of the fund, the School Board has an approximate $1 million cushion from which the donation could made.

"It's a nice cushion," said School Board member Nancylee Bagwell, "and I don't see a problem with it."

"I think this is very generous offer," School Board member Kelly Hill said of the HEF's move to try to establish a magnet school.

"This is what we've been asking the community to do - step forward."
Halifax County School Board chairman Arthur Reynolds, a member of the HEF, said the Foundation has already started the grant application process.

The $1.5 million the HEF hopes to land from the Tobacco Commission will be used to build classrooms and finish a currently unfinished section of the SVHEC facility.

Once the project is completed and the magnet school is established, the School Board will have to step in to help fund the venture.

"It will have some operating costs that we will have to participate in," Witt pointed out.

"They (the HEF) will provide the site and some other things such as utilities."
When asked how many students the proposed magnet school could serve, Witt said it is hard to say at this point.

He did say, however, he felt it could possibly accommodate approximately 150 students, 75 in the morning and 75 in the afternoon, as an example.

If the new magnet school becomes a reality, school system officials said Halifax County can withdraw from the Southside Regional Governor's School.
This year, 28 Halifax County High School students are attending Governor's School.

The school system pays a fee of approximately $3,000 per student to the Governor's School for Halifax County students attending the school.

That expense comes to approximately $100,000 a year.

School system officials pointed out that the figure does not include the cost of transporting the students to and from the Governor's School in Keysville each school day.

According to Witt, if the county ends its participation in the Governor's School after the magnet school begins operations, the money that would have been spent sending students to Governor's School can be targeted for the magnet school.

HCMS Lions Diamonders Win Conference Opener
HCMS Got Back On Track With A 7-4 Win Monday Over Bluestone

By DOUG FORD | G-V Staff Writer

The Halifax County Middle School baseball team is back on track after a 7-4 home win Monday over Bluestone in its Southside Middle School Conference opener, but it didn't come easy.

Justin Bagbey went 2-4 with two RBI's, Kaleb Long was 2-3 with an RBI, and Justin Jacobs, Kyle Long and Jeremy Foster added RBI's for Halifax.

Chris Boyter had an RBI double, and Derek Hilliard and Joshua Steele RBI singles to lead Bluestone, which collected 10 hits for the game.

Jacobs started the game on the mound for Halifax, with Daniel Wilborn taking over in the fourth inning in the Lions' first game since an 11-7 loss here two weeks ago to Dinwiddie.

That loss broke a 43-game winning streak for the Lions, but it was the two-week layoff that affected his team the most, according to Lions coach Barry Powell.

"I'm always tickled to death to get a win, expecially a conference win," said Powell.

"We haven't played in two weeks and were somewhat rusty with the bats.
"It showed offensively today - 13 strikeouts, that's one phase of the game we need to work on.

"We had a number of called third strikes, and I'd like them to be a little more aggressive... we're taking a lot of pitches.

"Defensively, we had some breakdowns, but we're pleased with the win."

Boyter, who went the distance on the mound for the Trojans, didn't go out of his way to help the Lions hitters, striking out 13 Halifax batters, while giving up seven hits and walking six while pitching a complete game.

"It was a tough day to play," said Powell, noting the cool and windy conditions at game time.

"Bluestone had a good pitcher out there and he threw hard, and I was a little disppointed with how we swung the bats.

"But, with the weather conditions, 7-4 isn't bad."

Bluestone had three of its hits in the first inning to take an early lead, with Eggleston's hit starting the rally.

Chris Overton reached on a fielder's choice and scored after Weston's double and Steele's single.

Halifax responded with two runs in the bottom of the first, leadoff hitter Kaleb Long drawing a walk and stealing second base.

Eric Brandon drew a walk, Kaleb Long reached third on a wild pitch, and Brandon stole second, before Bagbey stroked a two-RBI single for a 2-1 Halifax lead.

The Lions added a single run in the third and four runs in the fourth to increase its lead to 7-1.

Daniel Wilborn walked with one out in the Halifax second, stole second base and came home on a Bluestone error on Kaleb Long's hit.

Halifax got to Boyter for five hits and four runs in the third inning, Bagbey getting his second hit of the game with a leadoff double.

Kaleb Long drove Bagbey home with an RBI double, went to third on a wild pitch and scored on Foster's two-out single.

A passed ball put Foster at second base and Wilborn drew a walk, before consecutive RBI hits by Kaleb Long and Jacobs gave Halifax a 7-1 lead.
Bluestone rallied for three runs in the bottom of the fourth inning to cut the lead to three runs.

Steele singled to start the inning, went to second on an error, and scored on Boyter's RBI double.

Hilliard hit an RBI single to score Boyter, and two consecutive walks loaded the bases, before Hilliard scored on a wild pitch to cut the Lions lead to 7-4.
A groundout, strikeout and put out at third got the Lions out of the inning.

Halifax had only one baserunner the final three innings, Kyle Long drawing a walk in the fourth inning, and the Lions' defense stymied potential Bluestone rallies in both the fifth and sixth innings.

Jacobs, playing right field for the Lions, made a great catch of a sinking line drive for the first out of the fifth inning.

Third baseman Brandon threw out the next batter, but a single and two errors on a ground ball put runners at second and third base, before Wilborn, who relieved Jacobs in the fourth inning, got a big strikeout to end the threat.

Halifax got out of another bases loaded jam in the sixth inning, Travis Davis and Royster getting base hits, and Weston another two-out hit to load the bases, before another Wilborn strikeout ended the inning.

Bluestone got a runner as far as second base in the top of the seventh, before a strikeout and groundout ended the game.

Powell said after the game his team, although loaded with potential, still has some work ahead.

"We need to establish our lineup, and we're still looking for leaders to step up," said Powell.

"We're looking for a stopper on the mound. We have a ways to go, but we have potential. We'll take this and we'll go from here."

The Lions, now 2-1 on the season, have a key road game Thursday against Southside Middle School opponent Park View.

Obituaries

Former SoBo City Council Member Dies

Clarence Daley Harris

Retired merchant and former South Boston city councilman Clarence Daley Harris, 81, died at his home yesterday morning of congestive heart failure.

A native of Woodsdale, N.C., he was the son of Dr. D.W.C. Harris and Lessie Dean Seamster Harris of Person County, N.C., and the widower of Nora Ella Satterfield Harris.

Mr. Harris spent his entire business career merchandising clothing and dry goods in South Boston. He was briefly an employee of Leggett Department Stores, and at different times held the local franchises for Montgomery Ward and Sears, Roebuck and Company.

He was past president and life member of the South Boston Retail Merchant's Association and was a founding member and past president of the Downtown Development Corporation, later known as Cornerstone.

A World War II veteran of the U.S. Navy, Harris served as a Gunner's Mate in the amphibious force of the Pacific Fleet. He was a lifetime member of American Legion Post 8, V.F.W. Post 842 and the Disabled American Veterans.

Mr. Harris was active in numerous civic and fraternal organizations. He was a 32nd Degree Mason and past member of Masonic Lodge 91, was a Knight Templar and held numerous high positions in Masonic District 37. He was also a member of the South Boston Shrine Club, the Rotary Club, the Order of the Eastern Star and the Sons of Confederate Veterans.

Besides serving on South Boston's town council from 1971 through 1976, he was a Republican member of the Halifax County Electoral Board for 20 years.
Mr. Harris was a long-time member of the First Baptist Church of South Boston, serving as a deacon, president of the Baptist Brotherhood and member of the Lacy Bible Class.

He was commissioned a Kentucky Colonel in 1995 by that state's Governor, Brerston Jones.

He is survived by a son, C.D. Harris, Jr., of Fayetteville, Ga., one brother, J. Nathan Jordan of Palm Bay, Fla., one sister, Elsie Blanning of Richmond, one grandson, Samuel Harris of McDonough, Ga., and a longtime friend and companion, Quillie Clark of South Boston.

The family will receive friends at Powell Funeral Home between 7:00 and 8:30 p.m. tonight.

Funeral services will be held Thursday, April 8, at First Baptist Church. Interment will follow at Oak Ridge Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the donor's favorite charity.

Mark Rhodes Eberly

Mark Rhodes Eberly, 80, of Mount Crawford died April 5 at his home.

Mr. Eberly was born April 22, 1923, in Orrville, Ohio, a son of the late Amos and Ava Rohrer Eberly, and was married to the late Frances O. Burkholder Eberly. He was a member of Dayton Mennonite Church, was active in the Mennonite Disaster Service, Mennonite Church Cemetery committee, and the Mennonite Relief Sale. He was a retired farmer and carpenter.

Survivors include one son, Dwight O. Eberly of Mount Crawford; two daughters, Doris E. Greider of South Boston and Diane M. Eberly of Broadway; one brother, Edwin W. Eberly of Harrisonburg; one sister, Mary Shank of Bridgewater; two grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.

A funeral service for Mr. Eberly will be held at 10:30 a.m. tomorrow, April 8 in Dayton Mennonite Church with the Revs. Willard Heatwole and Nate Yoder officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery.

Those wishing to give memorials are asked to consider Dayton Mennonite Church, c/o Charles Beery, Treasurer, 789 Flint Hill Rd., Mt. Sidney, 24467.

Ellis Hagood Francis Sr.

Ellis Hagood Francis Sr., 78, of 1072 Rodgers Chapel Road, Clover died April 5 at Halifax Regional Hospital.

Mr. Francis was born in Halifax County on May 2, 1925, the son of the late Eskar Lenard Francis and Kate Lily Yates Francis, and was married to Edith Snead Francis. He was a member of Fork Baptist Church where he served as a deacon, was retired from Daystrom Furniture Company and was a U.S. Army Veteran.

Services will be held at Fork Baptist tomorrow, April 8 at 2 p.m. with the Revs. Jason Murray and Billy Edwards officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery.

Surviving Mr. Francis are his wife; two sons, Ellis Hagood Francis Jr. of South Hill, and his special friend, Debra Critcher, of Roxboro, N.C., and Tommy Wayne Francis and his wife, Heather of Clover; two daughters, Patricia F.

Gordon and her husband, Jerry, of Buffalo Junction, and Jane F. Womack and husband, Gary of Halifax; two sisters, Joyce B. Brooks of South Hill and Lillian Toombs of Staunton; three grandsons, Jeremy Francis, Adam Francis and Daniel Francis, all of Bracey; and one granddaughter, Mary Lee Francis of Clover.

He was also preceded in death by two brothers, Willie Thomas 'Bill' Francis and Ernest 'Booster' Francis; and two sisters, Mary Conner and Fannie Yates.
The family will receive friends this evening, April 7 between 7:00 and 8:30, at Brooks Funeral Home, and other times at the home.

Those wishing to give memorials are asked to consider Clover Volunteer Fire Department, PO Box 199, Clover, or Fork Baptist Church Memorial Fund, 5202 Falkland Road, Scottsburg, 24589.

Joseph Marable

James Marable, 88, of 101 Hedgerow Drive, Halifax died April 3 at Halifax Regional Hospital.

Mr. Marable was born March 18, 1916, in Halifax County a son of the late Pleasant Marable and the late Sallie Lou Marable and was married to Mary Fannie Harris Marable, who preceded him in death. Prior to his retirement, he was employed as a custodian with J.P. Stevens, and he was a member of New Arbor Baptist Church.

Survivors include one daughter, Joan Johnson of the home; one son, Joseph M. Marable of South Boston; and his close friend, Donna Carr.

A funeral service for Mr. Marable will be held April 9 at 1 p.m. at New Arbor Baptist Church with the Rev. Nelson Stamps officiating. Burial with military rites by American Legion Post 29 will follow in the church cemetery.

A viewing will be held April 8 from 2 until 8 p.m. at First Baptist Church, Ferry Street. The family will receive friends at the home.